The Red Etin
The Red Etin — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a painted desert where the sands shimmered with a thousand hues, lived three sisters: Goldtree, Silver-tree, and Whitetree. Goldtree, the eldest, possessed a heart of shimmering greed; Silver-tree, a spirit of envious pride; and Whitetree, the youngest, a soul of quiet courage. Whispers carried on the wind spoke of the Red Etin, a monstrous giant dwelling in a castle of bone, guarding a spring of eternal youth. Only one sister, it was said, could overcome him, but at a terrible cost.
Page 2
"I shall go," Goldtree declared, her eyes gleaming like the dunes themselves. "The spring's youth will be mine!" She gathered provisions, her pack overflowing with golden trinkets she couldn't bear to leave behind. Silver-tree scoffed. "Do you think jewels can buy victory? I shall charm the Etin with my beauty, and the spring will be ours for the taking."
Page 3
Whitetree watched her sisters depart, her heart heavy. She knew her sisters' flaws, their greed and pride. Before Goldtree left, Whitetree offered her a simple loaf of bread and a small, worn mirror. "Take these, sister. Remember, true strength lies not in riches, but in kindness and self-awareness."
Page 4
Goldtree journeyed far, the castle of bone looming ever closer. She met an old woman, begging for food. "Spare me a crust, fair traveler?" the crone pleaded. Goldtree clutched her golden trinkets tighter. "I have no food to spare for beggars," she sneered, and hurried on.
Page 5
Silver-tree, adorned in her shimmering gown, arrived at the castle gates. She found the Etin's guards, grotesque creatures of bone and shadow. "I am a princess of unparalleled beauty," she announced, her voice like tinkling bells. "Take me to your master, that he may admire my grace." But the guards only laughed, their voices like rattling bones, and barred her way.
Page 6
Whitetree, following behind her sisters, saw the old woman Goldtree had spurned. She offered her the loaf of bread. "I have little, but what I have, I share willingly," she said gently. The old woman smiled, revealing a single golden tooth. "Kindness never goes unrewarded," she rasped. "Take this," she offered Whitetree a small, tarnished key.
Page 7
Silver-tree, enraged by the guards' refusal, attempted to force her way through, her silver gown tearing on the sharp bone. But the guards were too strong, and they threw her into a dark pit. Despair washed over her. "As Seneca said," she wept, "'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.' I was too proud to start anew."
Page 8
Whitetree arrived at the castle and, seeing Silver-tree's plight, used the tarnished key to unlock the pit. "Sister, come!" she urged. Silver-tree, humbled and ashamed, accepted Whitetree's hand. Together, they continued toward the Etin's lair. But Goldtree was nowhere to be seen.
Page 9
Inside the castle, they found Goldtree, transformed into a golden statue, forever frozen in her greed. The Etin lay defeated, slain not by strength or beauty, but by his own vanity, tricked into admiring his reflection in Whitetree's mirror. Before them shimmered the spring. Whitetree, without hesitation, poured the water of youth over her sisters, restoring them both, understanding that true strength lies in compassion.
Page 10
The sisters returned to their painted desert, forever changed. Goldtree, no longer consumed by greed; Silver-tree, free from the chains of pride; and Whitetree, her courage proven, yet forever humble. And so, the desert winds whispered a new truth: the truest treasures are those we share, and self-awareness can be worth more than all the gold in the world.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)